From our special correspondent in Israel – The deadly fighting between Israel and Hamas has brought the long-festering Israeli-Palestinian conflict back to the fore, fueling international calls to revive a dormant Mideast peace process. But are pleas for peace still audible amid all the trauma? FRANCE 24 spoke to Israeli peace activists and former government officials about the prospects for a peaceful settlement in the Middle East.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, killing more than 1,400 people – most of them civilians – and taking more than 200 hostages to the Gaza Strip. The gruesome carnage, which triggered a fierce riposte from the Israeli military, has deeply shaken Israeli society, leading even some of the most moderate Israelis to turn a deaf ear to calls for peace. While many see the eradication of Hamas as a prerequisite for future peace, others warn that the current cycle of violence will only cause more suffering.
